A Legacy of Serving

Buckner Retirement Services was founded on a simple but enduring belief: people deserve dignity, care, and community at every stage of life. What began as a response to a specific need more than a century ago continues to guide how Buckner serves senior adults today.

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An older couple walks arm in arm on a leafy path by water, smiling at each other on a sunny autumn day.

Buckner Today

Today, Buckner Retirement Services serves more than 2,000 senior adults each year and is the second largest nonprofit senior living provider in Texas¹. While programs, communities, and care models have evolved, Buckner’s purpose has remained consistent: to provide dignified living, expert care, and thoughtful support—guided by faith-informed values.

Our Communities

¹ Per LeadingAge Ziegler LZ 200 List, 2025.

A group of people pose around a statue in front of a large brick building with columns and parked cars.

Why Buckner Was Founded

Buckner’s story began in Dallas, Texas, as a family ministry rooted in service. Dr. Robert Cooke Buckner established what would become Buckner International with a Christ-centered vision to care for vulnerable children—and, soon after, for those who had spent their lives serving others.

Early retirement housing was created for retired pastors and missionaries, offering dignified living while fostering intergenerational connection with children from the Buckner Orphans Home. From the start, Buckner’s work centered on dignity, purpose, and community.

Growth with Intention

Three children stand by a wooden house; a man sits in a horse-drawn wagon nearby under an overcast sky.

1879

Buckner began in Dallas, Texas, as a family ministry rooted in service. Founded by Dr. Robert Cooke Buckner, Buckner International started with a Christ-centered mission to care for vulnerable children and later expanded to include retirement housing for pastors and missionaries.

Elderly woman crocheting outside, with a large brick building and vintage cars in the background.

1954

Buckner opened its first official retirement community, the Mary E. Trew Home in Dallas—less than a mile from its original children’s home. This marked the formal beginning of Buckner Retirement Services.

Sign reads "contentment and peace in the twilight of life" with an elderly man and woman reading a book together.

1965

Expansion followed with Buckner Baptist Haven in Houston, extending Buckner’s senior living mission to serve more communities across Texas.

A man speaks at a microphone while others, dressed formally, stand and listen in a room with a brick fireplace.

1966

The Mary E. Trew Home expanded to include skilled nursing services and became Buckner Retirement Village, serving Dallas-area seniors for more than 50 years.

Black-and-white flyer for Buckner Children's Village, with event details and illustrations of houses and trees.

1970

Buckner Villas opened in Austin, further establishing Buckner as a leading nonprofit senior living provider in Texas.

Red-brick building with large windows by a pond, surrounded by green trees and a water fountain spraying.

1996

Westminster Place opened in Longview, originally as an independent living community, reflecting Buckner’s thoughtful, incremental approach to growth.

Brick entrance sign reads "Parkway Place," bordered by yellow flowers and grass, with apartment buildings in background.

1998

Parkway Place opened in Houston, replacing the original Buckner Haven and expanding care options with modern amenities and a full continuum of services.

Modern house with stone and gray siding, metal roof, and desert landscaping including cactus and a small tree in front.

2010

Buckner affiliated with Baptist Memorial Ministries, welcomed Baptist Retirement Community in San Angelo into the Buckner family.

A modern multi-story glass building with illuminated windows, surrounded by greenery and a circular driveway.

2017-2019

Buckner returned to Dallas with Ventana by Buckner, its first Life Care senior living community. Located just ten miles from Buckner’s original roots, Ventana represents a modern expression of Buckner’s long-standing mission.

Gray stone sign reading "The Stayton at Museum Way" with flowers planted in front.

2024

Buckner expanded its Life Care portfolio with the acquisition of The Stayton at Museum Way by Buckner located in Fort Worth’s Cultural District. Serving seniors at The Stayton is a natural fit for Buckner, who already had well established children and family services in the Fort Worth market.

A gazebo sits under leafy trees near an apartment building with balconies, on a sunny day.

2026

Lightwell, a joint ministry by Buckner and Presbyterian Homes & Services out of Minnesota is an independent living-only community and marks the introduction of a new product line for Buckner with an increased focus on providing more affordable senior living options to the middle market.

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